


Blow Up the Outside World

by lalejandra



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bombs, Death and Dying, Gen, Transformative Works Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-21
Updated: 2005-01-21
Packaged: 2019-07-14 10:16:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16038407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalejandra/pseuds/lalejandra
Summary: Everyone dies.





	Blow Up the Outside World

It is cold and snowing. This isn't how it's supposed to be -- mostly because it's July, but also because Neville is totally unprepared for it. Draco is too early; the snow was supposed to start in fifteen minutes. Neville shakes his father's pocketwatch; no, the snow is right on time, and it's Neville who is off. He can do this anyway. He shivers a little, peeks over the rocks. Draco is down there -- the snow is the signal that he's planted the bombs and escaped without notice.

He had to explain them to Neville several times, but Neville finally got it: the pieces of plastic -- "Plast _ique_ ," Draco kept saying, but Neville didn't understand the difference -- would somehow ignite and explode and destroy everything. The Malfoy Manor, all the grounds, all the Death Eaters who invaded last year when Lucius Malfoy was put into prison, all the prisoners in the Malfoy dungeons, all the traitors to the Order who had switched sides when Voldemort killed Harry Potter --

Neville's hand clenched into fists at his sides. Where is Draco? Until Neville has proof that Draco is safe from the "blast radius" ("Never _mind_ ," Draco said. "Wait until you see me. Then go.") he's not going to push the trigger. This Muggle stuff is kind of weird, and Neville is suspicious that it will work, but he actually trusts Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy has more to lose than Neville does -- he's lost more, already, too. Neville only lost his parents. Draco's lost everything. So Neville can do this, Neville can kill Ron and Parvati and Professor Lupin. Neville can do it because there's not another choice, because if they don't take this moment to destroy the Death Eaters, eventually everyone will die.

He can hear Hermione in his head: "Everyone dies, Neville. In the end, we all die. It's what you _do_ with your death that matters in situations like this. Of course, _not_ dying is really preferable..."

There's a tap on his shoulder, and he turns. It's Draco, snow on his eyelashes. His teeth are clenched. Neville never expected to team up with Draco, never expected that he could trust a Malfoy -- and Draco isn't _nice_ , he's not like Hermione or Queenie or Luna. But he's _there_ , and he hates the Death Eaters as much as Neville does -- more. Neville doesn't understand how there can be such a depth of emotion in anyone anymore; Neville is just tired. He wants a cup of tea and a roaring fire and the serial from _Witch Weekly_.

What he's got is a detonator.

"When you're ready," says Draco snidely. "Feel free to take your time."

"I wanted -- " Neville cuts himself off and presses the button. It sticks a little, and then there's a huge noise and a cloud of dust and the snow is mingling with dirt and debris and fire, and Draco is smiling, his eyes glowing. Neville's finger is stuck on the button, but it feels good, right, like for once he didn't bollocks it all up.

  



End file.
